Belt take-up apparatus

ABSTRACT

The belt take-up apparatus has an upper roller and rack unit reciprocable horizontally and a lower roller and rack unit reciprocable horizontally. A shaft has a pinion meshed with the rack units. Means are provided to rotate the shaft to move the rollers and their respective rack units toward and away from a vertical plane containing the shaft to adjust belt tension.

United States Patent Clark et al.

BELT TAKE-UP APPARATUS Inventors: Willard Clark, Familand; Charles Campbell, Muncie, both of lnd.

Assignee: Maul Bros., Inc., Millville, NJ.

Filed: Feb. 2, 1971 Appl. No.: 111,969

US. Cl ..198/208, 74/30 Int. Cl ..B65g 15/30 Field of Search....74/30, 89.11, 89.12, 109, 120, 74/2428, 242.11, 242.12, 242.13, 242.14; 198/208 [451 Aug. 29, 1972 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,992,046 2/1935 Shomaker ..198/139 2,431,217 11/1947 Waldorf .;....74/30 Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter Attorney-Seidel, Gonda & Goldhammer [57 ABSTRACT The belt take-up apparatus has an upper roller and rack unit reciprocable horizontally and a lower roller and rack unit reciprocable horizontally. A shaft has a pinion meshed with the rack units. Means are provided to rotate the shaft to move the rollers and their respective rack units toward and away from a vertical plane containing the shaft to adjust belt tension.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PMENTEDAUB29 m2 3.687.274

SHEET 1 0F 3 & //v vew TORS WILLARD CLARK CHARLES CAMPBELL ATTORNEYS PATENTl-iflmszwn 3.687.274 sum 2 or 3 lNVENTO/PS WILLARD CLARK CHARLES CAMPBELL ATTORNEYS PATENTEDmczs I972 SHEET 3 BF 3 lNVE/V TORS WILLARD CLARK CHARLES CAMPBELL Mm/mm ATTORNEYS BELT TAKE-UP APPARATUS This invention relates to a belt take-up apparatus particularly useful in connection with metallic mesh belts utilized in connection with heat treating apparatus. A typical heat-treating apparatus with which the present invention may be utilized is a lehr for heat treating newly manufactured glassware. In such a lehr, the belt will have a length of several hundred feet and a width of approximately 6 feet.

In a glass treating lehr, the glassware is supported by the upper run of the belt during the annealing and cooling stages. The belt take-up apparatus of the present invention is coupled to the lower run of the belt. A separate drive means is provided in the lehr for driving the belt. The apparatus of the present invention is structurally interrelated in a manner whereby maximum adjustment of belt tension is attained with minimum movement of the rollers around which the lower run of the belt extends.

In accordance with the present invention, the lower run of the belt extends around upper and lower spaced rollers. Each roller has a horizontally disposed rack unit coupled thereto. A pinion on a shaft is meshed with each of the rack units. As the shaft is rotated by power cylinder means or a weight-pulley means, the upper and lower rollers move away from each other. Since the upper and lower rollers are moved away from each other, the slack taken up will be twice thatwhich could be taken up in the same amount of space by using a single roller.

To facilitate horizontal reciprocation of the rollers and rack units, and in order to minimize friction, each of the rollers and rack units is mounted on rollers which ride in a track. The uack is preferably defined by spaced rails on opposite sides of a frame. The frame is structurally interrelated in a manner whereby the entire apparatus may be assembled and installed as a module or integrated unit in a lehr. In this manner, the frame provides versatility in that it may be installed in various places along the lehr.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel belt take-up apparatus.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a belt take-up apparatus for use with open mesh metallic belts utilized in heat treating apparatus.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a belt take-up apparatus wherein the lower run of a belt extends around upper and lower rollers movable in opposite directions by means of rack units and a pinion.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a module frame unit for adjusting belt tension and capable of being mounted as a unit in a heat treating apparatus such as a glass lehr.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a belt take-up apparatus designated generally as 10. The apparatus 10 includes a frame adapted to be inserted in a heat treating apparatus of modular construction. The frame includes longitudinally extending side channels 12 and 14.

One end of the side channels 12 and 14 is supported by a beam 16. The ends of the beam 16 are supported by vertical posts 18 and 20. The other end of the side channels 12 and 14 is supported by a beam 22 which in turn is supported by posts 24 and 26.

The apparatus 10 is adapted to take up slack in an endless flexible metallic belt having an upper run 28 and a lower run 30. The apparatus 10 is effected to take up the slack in the lower run 30. The apparatus 10 is constructed so as to facilitate the belt upper run 28 passing between the side channels 12 and 14 without interfering with glassware supported thereon.

The longitudinally extending side portions of the apparatus 10 are identical. Accordingly, only one side portion will be described in detail with corresponding primed numerals being provided on corresponding structure on the opposite side of the frame.

Along one side of the frame, there are provided longitudinally extending guide rails 32, 34, and 36. These rails are supported at one end by a bracket 38 and at their other end by a bracket 40. Bracket 38 is supported by post 18. Bracket 40 is supported by post 24.

The top guide rail 32 is spaced from the middle guide rail 34 so as to define a track having a gap 42. The middle guide rail 34 is spaced from the bottom guide rail 36 so as to define a track having a gap 44. The purpose of the gaps 42 and 44 will be made clear hereinafter. A plate 46 extends vertically across the guide rails 32-36 and is removably secured thereto by bolts or the like.

An upper roller 40 is provided with a shaft terminating in a wheel 50. Wheel 50 is rotatably supported by the track within the gap 42. A similar wheel 52 is provided on the shaft on the other end of roller 48. Wheel 52 is rollingly supported in a gap corresponding to the gap 42 on the opposite side of the apparatus.

An upper rack unit is connected to the upper roller 48. The upper rack unit includes upper racks 54 and 56 rotatably coupled to the shaft supporting roller 48 at opposite ends thereof. The racks 54 and 56 extend to the right in FIG. 1 from the roller 48. The stabilizer struts 58 and 59 extend across the racks 54 and 56. The end of the racks 54 and 56 remote from the roller 48 is provided with wheels 60 which are rollingly supported in the gap 42.

As shown more clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the racks 54 and 56 are at an elevation below the shaft supporting roller 48. The racks 54 and 56 are rotatably coupled to the shaft supporting roller 48 by means of collars 62 and 64 which are bolted to the racks and extend around the shaft supporting roller 48.

A lower roller 66 is supported below the elevation of the racks 54 and 56 and on the opposite side of the plate 46 from the upper roller 48. See FIG. 1. The shaft supporting roller 66 terminates in wheels 68 and 70. Wheel 68 is rollingly supported in the gap 44 to the right of the plate 46. See FIG. 1. Wheel 70 is similarly supported on the opposite side of the apparatus 10.

The rack unit for roller 48 extends to the right in FIG. 1. The lower roller 66 is provided with a similar rack unit which extends to the left in FIG. 1. The lower rack unit includes racks 72 and 74 having one end rotatably coupled to the shaft supporting roller 66 by means of collars comparable to collar 62. The ends of the racks 72 and 74 are coupled together by stabilizer struts 76 and 78.

The teeth on the racks S4 and 56 are on their lower surface. The teeth on racks 72 and 74 are on their upper surface. The end of the racks 72 and 74 remote from the lower roller 66 is rotatably supported by wheels 80 mounted in the gap 44, but to the left of the plate 46 in FIG. 1.

A shaft 82 extends across the apparatus transversely thereof. The ends of the shaft 82 are rotatably supported in suitable bearings and journals mounted on the plate 46. A pinion 84 on shaft 82 is meshed with the teeth on the racks 54 and 72. A similar pinion on the other side of the apparatus 10 is in meshing engagement with the teeth on the racks 64 and 74. Hence, as shaft 82 rotates, the racks cause the upper and lower rollers to move toward and away from a vertical plane containing the shaft 82.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 4, the shaft 82 is of sufficient length so as to extend beyond the plate 46. A pulley 86 is removably secured to the extension of shaft 82. A flexible member such as cable 88 extends around the pulley 86 and has one end connected thereto. The cable 86 extends from pulley 86, around idler pulley 90 and then upwardly around pulley 92. Pulley 92 is rotatably supported by a header 95 at the upper end of a post 94.

From the pulley 92, the cable 88 extends downwardly to a support rod 96 terminating at its lower end in a plate. A plurality of removable weights 98 are mounted on the plates surrounding the rod 96. The weights are U-shaped in plan view as will be apparent from FIG. 3.

The weights 98 constitute a means for selectively and variably rotating the shaft 82 to cause the rollers 48 and 66 to move toward and away from a vertical plane containing shaft 82. While the preferred embodiment is to use a mechanical biasing means such as weights 98, it would be possible to utilize a pressure cylinder to selectively rotate shaft 82. The posts 94 and 94 may be interconnected with a brace 97, if desired. The lower end of the posts 94 and 94' are bolted to a reinforcing plate welded to the side channels 12 and 14.

The apparatus 10 is utilized as follows.

The belt having upper run 28 and lower run is an open mesh metallic belt which may have a width of six feet and a length of several hundred feet. The lower run 30 of the belt is extended around the rollers 48 and 66 as shown in FIG. 1. With a belt of this size, the weights 98 and 98 will each total about 250 to 300 pounds. This will initially stretch the belt to take up any slack with the rollers 48 and 66 moving several inches away from each other. As the belt is heated, additional slack will automatically be taken up by the rollers 48 and 66 moving away from each other under the weight bias applied to shaft 82.

The weight bias applied to shaft 82 rotates the pinions 84 thereon. Each of the pinions 84 is in meshing engagement with the teeth on the rack units, thereby causing the rack units to move toward and away from a vertical plane containing the shaft 82. As the rack units move toward the vertical plane containing shaft 82, the rollers 48 and 66 move away from each other, thereby taking up slack in the belt. Thus, the belt take-up apparatus of the present invention is simple, reliable, and prevents a larger take up of slack with minimum amount of space as compared with merely extending the lower run of the belt around an adjustable roller.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or es sential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. Belt take-up apparatus comprising a frame, an upper roller, an upper rack unit connected to the end portions of said roller, said rack unit having teeth on its lower surface, means mounting said rack unit and roller on the frame for reciprocating movement in a horizontal direction, a lower roller below said upper roller, a lower rack unit connected to the end portions of said lower roller, said lower rack unit having teeth on its upper surface, means mounting said lower rack unit and said lower roller for reciprocating movement in a horizontal direction below the plane of said upper rack unit, a shaft supported by said frame between and parallel to said rollers, a pinion on said shaft meshed with each of said rack units, and means connected to said shaft for applying a variable rotary bias on said shaft to cause said rollers to move toward or away from a vertical plane containing said shaft for adjusting the tension of a belt adapted to extend around said rollers.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means connected to said shaft includes a pulley on said shaft, a flexible member having one end connected to said pulley, a second pulley at a higher elevation than said first-mentioned pulley, said flexible member extending around said second pulley, and adjustable weights connected to the other end of said flexible member.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said weight biased flexible member and pulleys are connected to one end of said shaft, and a similar weight biased flexible member and pulley arrangement being connected to the other end of said shaft.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including a pair of tracks disposed one above the other, the upper track receiving wheels on said upper roller and upper rack unit, the lower track receiving wheels on said lower roller and lower rack unit, and a plate extending across said tracks, said shaft being supported by said plate.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said rack units extend in opposite directions from their respective rollers, said rollers being parallel to one another.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein a portion of said lower rack unit is below the axis of said upper roller, a portion of said upper rack unit being above the axis of said lower roller, and said rack units being rotatably coupled to their respective rollers.

7 Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including upper, middle, and lower side rails on opposite sides of said frame, said rails being parallel to one another, the rails on one side of the frame being disposed one above the other so as to define gaps therebetween, each of said roller and rack units having a wheel rotatably supported in one of the gaps.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said frame is mounted on support posts so that it may be installed as a modular unit in heat treating apparatus, said frame having an open space above said upper roller through which the upper run of an endless belt may extend without interfering with articles on the upper run.

9. Belt take-up apparatus comprising a frame, an upper roller, an upper rack unit rotatably connected to the end portions of said roller, said rack unit having teeth on its lower surface, track means on opposite sides of said frame for mounting said rack unit and roller for reciprocatory movement in a horizontal direction, a lower roller having an axis parallel to said upper roller, said lower roller being below a portion of said upper rack, the lower rack unit rotatably connected to the end portions of said lower roller, said lower rack unit having teeth on its upper surface, said lower rack unit being below the axis of said upper roller, track means on opposite side of said frame and mounting said lower roller and lower track unit for reciprocating movement in a horizontal direction, a shaft supported by said frame between the axes of said rollers and parallel to the axes of said rollers, a pair of pinions on said shaft, each pinion being meshed with teeth on each of said rack units, and means connected to each end of said shaft for applying a variable rotary bias on said shaft to cause said rollers to move toward and away from a vertical plane containing said shaft for adjusting the tension of a belt adapted to extend around said rollers, said last-mentioned means including a pulley connected to each end of said shaft, a flexible member having one end connected to each pulley, additional pulleys supported by said frame on opposite sides thereof, each flexible member extending around one of said additional pulleys and downwardly therefrom, and means for supporting weights connected to the other end of each flexible member.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein each of said'rack units includes a pair of parallel racks interconnected at their ends by stabilizing struts. 

1. Belt take-up apparatus comprising a frame, an upper roller, an upper rack unit connected to the end portions of said roller, said rack unit having teeth on its lower surface, means mounting said rack unit and roller on the frame for reciprocating movement in a horizontal direction, a lower roller below said upper roller, a lower rack unit connected To the end portions of said lower roller, said lower rack unit having teeth on its upper surface, means mounting said lower rack unit and said lower roller for reciprocating movement in a horizontal direction below the plane of said upper rack unit, a shaft supported by said frame between and parallel to said rollers, a pinion on said shaft meshed with each of said rack units, and means connected to said shaft for applying a variable rotary bias on said shaft to cause said rollers to move toward or away from a vertical plane containing said shaft for adjusting the tension of a belt adapted to extend around said rollers.
 2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means connected to said shaft includes a pulley on said shaft, a flexible member having one end connected to said pulley, a second pulley at a higher elevation than said first-mentioned pulley, said flexible member extending around said second pulley, and adjustable weights connected to the other end of said flexible member.
 3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said weight biased flexible member and pulleys are connected to one end of said shaft, and a similar weight biased flexible member and pulley arrangement being connected to the other end of said shaft.
 4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including a pair of tracks disposed one above the other, the upper track receiving wheels on said upper roller and upper rack unit, the lower track receiving wheels on said lower roller and lower rack unit, and a plate extending across said tracks, said shaft being supported by said plate.
 5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said rack units extend in opposite directions from their respective rollers, said rollers being parallel to one another.
 6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein a portion of said lower rack unit is below the axis of said upper roller, a portion of said upper rack unit being above the axis of said lower roller, and said rack units being rotatably coupled to their respective rollers.
 7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including upper, middle, and lower side rails on opposite sides of said frame, said rails being parallel to one another, the rails on one side of the frame being disposed one above the other so as to define gaps therebetween, each of said roller and rack units having a wheel rotatably supported in one of the gaps.
 8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said frame is mounted on support posts so that it may be installed as a modular unit in heat treating apparatus, said frame having an open space above said upper roller through which the upper run of an endless belt may extend without interfering with articles on the upper run.
 9. Belt take-up apparatus comprising a frame, an upper roller, an upper rack unit rotatably connected to the end portions of said roller, said rack unit having teeth on its lower surface, track means on opposite sides of said frame for mounting said rack unit and roller for reciprocatory movement in a horizontal direction, a lower roller having an axis parallel to said upper roller, said lower roller being below a portion of said upper rack, the lower rack unit rotatably connected to the end portions of said lower roller, said lower rack unit having teeth on its upper surface, said lower rack unit being below the axis of said upper roller, track means on opposite side of said frame and mounting said lower roller and lower track unit for reciprocating movement in a horizontal direction, a shaft supported by said frame between the axes of said rollers and parallel to the axes of said rollers, a pair of pinions on said shaft, each pinion being meshed with teeth on each of said rack units, and means connected to each end of said shaft for applying a variable rotary bias on said shaft to cause said rollers to move toward and away from a vertical plane containing said shaft for adjusting the tension of a belt adapted to extend around said rollers, said last-mentioned means including a pulley connected to each end of said shaft, a flexible member having one end connected to each pulley, additional pulleys supported by said frame on opposite sides thereof, each flexible member extending around one of said additional pulleys and downwardly therefrom, and means for supporting weights connected to the other end of each flexible member.
 10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein each of said rack units includes a pair of parallel racks interconnected at their ends by stabilizing struts. 